Lantern.



A. F. PRAHM.

LANTERN.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. a, 1913.

1,097,464. Patgnted May 19, 1914.

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ADOLll-I F. PRAHIVI, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

LANTERN.

1 b all 10/20 117, it" may concern lie it known that l, Anonrn l lnanrr, citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Ltt11- terns, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptimi, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improve ments in lanterns; and it consists in the novel. details of construction more "fully set .lorth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the lantern, with parts broken away to expose the interior; Fig. 2 a vertical sectional detail on the line 2-2 oi Fig. 1 taken through the ventilator, the outer screen being in the main, removed; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 oil'- Fig. 2; and Fig. t is a horizontal section on the line 4t t of Fig. 2.

The object of my invention is to construct a lantern (particularly signal lanterns) in which perfect air circulation will always exist irrespective of the conditions of the outside atmosphere; one which is emii'iently adapted for outdoor use particularly in connection with railroad signaling; one in which the air feeding the flame of the lamp is kept constantly warm; one in which the formation of a vacuum around the flame is practically impossible, thereby leaving the ilam-e iuulisturbed; one in which the air-circulation can not be cut oil by snow, ice or dirt accumulating on the body of the lantern; and one possessing further and other advantages apparent from a detailed description of the invention which is as follows ltetering to the drawings, 1 represents the body portion of the lantern open at the top and being n'ovided with the usual bullseyes 2, and housing any conventional form of lamp L, as well understood in the art. Surniounting the body 1, and preferably secured thereto by a hinge it is aninner casing The hinge leaves are secured respectively to the walls of the member 1 and to the basal flange 3 of the casing 3, the latter terminating at the top in a conical. extension 3 provided with an outwardly deflected annular lip or ilange (4 around the discharge openthereof. Upposite the hinge it, the flange 3 is provided with a conventional Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1914;.

Application filed November 8, 1913. Serial No. ?99,915.

s nring latch l: which automatically locks the casing to the body 1, the latch snapping over the bead Z) at the upper edge of the member 1. Disposed about the member 3 and spaced therefrom, and from the flange is a ring or apron 5, provided with a pcripheral head I), said ring being secured to the member 3 by legs or bracket members 6 formed preferably integrally with the ring. Secured to the ring 5 by a hinge it 1s an outer casing having a basal cylindrical portion 7 adapted to close over the ring 5 and rest upon the head 6 thereof, and an upper conical portion 7 spaced from the member 3 of the inner casing, the portion 7 being provided with a spring latch 4; for.

locking the casing 7, 7, to the ring 5, as clearly illustrated in Fig. l. The upper end of the portion 7 lIGI'lDlfiitU-S in an out wardly deflected annular lip or flange a. Surniounting the members 7 3" is a hood 8 which is maintained at a proper distance from said. members by brackets 9, secured to the hood and member 7 respectively as fully shown in the drawings. The top of the hood 8 is provided with a rotatable latch 10 adapted to pass freely through an oblong opening 0 in the top of a screen S resting on the flange 3, when the latch is turned parallel to the length of the opening, but to span the opening when turned at right angles to the length thereof, and thus secure the screen S in position. The screen is thus readily removable.

Secured to the member 3 at the base of the conical extension 3 thereof, is a division wall or plate 11 which supports the draft pipe or petticoat 1.2, the upper tapering end of the latter being inserted through a central opening of said wall, the pipe being provided with pins 72 which are passed through recesses or notches n in said wall, after which the pipe is given a turn about its axis to bring the pins and notches out of register, and the connection is completed. The pipe 12 projects somewhat into the chamber of the conical portion 3 of the casing 3 as shown, that is to say somewhat above the wall 11. The peripheral walls of the member 3 immediately above the wall 11 are provided with a series of air circulating openings 0 for a purpose presently to appear. The walls of the cylindrical portion 3 of the inner casing are provided with aircirculating openings 0 a portion of which (the upper row) are controllable by a rotatable damper 13 mounted in position by any conventional method, in the present instance the damper being provided with radial pins 14: traversing slots 8 in the wall of the member 3, a special and longer pin 15 by which the damper may be manipulated being secured to the damper and traversing a similar slot 8 in the wall of the member 3. The openings 0 in the damper may be brought into or out of register with the corresponding openings 0 of the member 3 and thus the amount of air entering the space between the pipe 12 and wall 3 may be regulated.

hen the damper is turned to closed or open position it may be maintained in such position by the spring arm 16 one end of which is fixed to the member 3. By pulling the arm out of the range of the pin 15, the latter may be manipulated to turn the damper in either direction, and by then releasing the arm 16 it springs back into position against the side of the pin thus preventing accidental shifting of the damper. The upper terminal of the member 3 projects above the upper end of the casing 7 so that the outgoing and incoming currents will not foul. The operation is substantially as follows: Of course, the screen S is removable and may or may not be necessary, though eminently desirable to keep insects out of the lamp. The screen however, need not be considered in the operation of the lantern. Assuming the parts to be in position as shown in Fig. 1, and the lamp L ignited, it will be seen that the necessary oxygen or air will be supplied to the flame by air entering both from the top and bottom into the annular space between the members 3, 3 and T, 7, the air percolating through all or a portion of the opening 0 (depending on the position of the damper 13) the currents thence descending around the draft pipe 12 and then ascending through said pipe with the hot combustion products, whence they escape through the member 3 and out into the atmosphere at points disposed in a plane above the plane at which the inflowing air enters over the lip a of the member 7, the lip a, on the member 3 preventing any eddying or mixing of the opposed currents at their respective points of exit and influx. The walls of the pipe 12 being heated by the combustion products, it follows that the inflowing air or that supporting the combustion of the flame will be warmed and the combustion be thus more complete. Should a strong draft or current move across the lantern, and across the space between the hood 8 and the inner and outer casings, this current, instead of drawing or sucking the flame up through the draft pipe 12, will on the contrary cause a local circulation to be set up above the wall or diaphragm 11, this local circuit being formed by the currents descending between the members 7, and 3",

then entering through the openings 0 above the wall 11, and flowing up around the pipe 12 through the discharge mouth of the member 3". This local or shunted circuit will in no wise exert an undue draft on the flame, the latter being fed by the air currents cir- Julating from the bottom of the annular space between the members 5 and 3 through the openings 0 (0, 0 down and around the pipe 12 and to the flame, and thence upward through the pipe 12 as already described. The local circuit alluded to, thus relieves the main or flame feeding circuit of undue disturbance, and the flame can not go out either in a high wind, or where the lantern may be operating on a train running at a high velocity. Should snow or sleet bank up on the flange 3 (with or without the presence of the shield S) in quantities sufficient to close the bottom of the space between the members 5 and 3, the necessary air circulation can still be maintained by air descending through the space between the parts 7, 3, openings 0, into the space around the draft-pipe 12, whence it descends to mingle with the combustion products and then ascends with said products through the draft-pipe.

Access to the lamp may of course be had at any time by simply removing the shield S, after which the member 8 may be swung open, the base of the pipe 12 easily clearing the edge of the member 1. Access to the spring 16 can be had by swinging open the outer casing about the hinge h the casing clearing the pipe 12 as quite obvious from the d 'awings. The ring 5 performs the double function of supporting the member 7 (7) and likewise forms a circulating pas sage with the inner casing 3. Obviously, the flange 3 of the casing 8 forms a seal with the bead Z) of the member 1, to prevent influx of outside air at this point, and thereby disturbing the currents descending along the outside of the draft-pipe. The intake mouth of the draft-pipe (12) depends below the plane of the lower edge of the flange 8, and extends partly into the chamber of the memher 1.

The term casing as used throughout the specification and claims, is to be understood as a casing open at both ends, this being the obvious meaning as both the inner and outer casings under my construction must be open at both ends to secure the results contemplated by the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combination with a lantern body open at one end, an inner casing secured thereto at said open end, a draft-pipe in said casing spaced from the walls thereof, and having an intake end communicating with the chamber of the lantern body, an outer memoicasing' spaced. from the inner asing and forming); an air-circnlating pas, no therewith, the walls of the inner :asing being provided with openings for establishing an air circulation between the space between the casings and the space between the inner casing and the draft-pipe, the discharge end of the inner casing extending beyoinl the correspoinlingg; end oi the craclit pipe and being disposed in a dillerent plane from the adjacent end oi? the outer casing.

2. in conil'iination with a lantern body open at the top, an inner ising secured thereto and forming a seal with the walls of said body at its open end, a. division wall disposed across the casing: at l sui able point between the opposite ends thereof, a draftpipe penetrz ting said wall and iii-ejecting above the same, and extending); downward below the seal into the lantern body, and spaced from the walls of the inner casing, the said walls being provided with air circulating openings below the division wall, an outer c: sin g spaced from the walls of the inner casing and having; an intake end contiguous to but below the discharge end of the inner casing, the discharge end. of the d "aft-pipe being below the discharge end of the inner casing.

3. In con'ibination with a lantern body, a draft-pipe leading therefrom, an inner casing snrronimliup, the d aft pipe and spaced therefrom, a division wall interposed be tween the inne' casing and draft pipe at a point below the discharge end of the dra t pipe and between the opposite ends of the casing, an outer casing spaced from the inner casing and forming an air space there" with, the walls of the inner casing being provided with air circnlati openings CO111- niunicating with said air space at points above the division wall aforesaid.

d. In combination with a lantern body, a d aft-pipe leading therefrom, an inner casing snrroni'iding the d aft-pipe and spaced therefrom, a division wall interposed between the inner casing and draft-pipe at (ob flpoint below the discharge end of the draft pipe and between the opposite ends of the casing, an outer casing spaced from the inner casing and forming an air space therewith, and providing air inlets at its top and bottom to said air space, the walls of the inner casing being; provided with air circulating openings connnnnicatinp; with said air space, at points to one side of the plane of disposition of the division wall aforesaid.

5. in combination with a lantern body, a d aft-pipe leading therefrom, an inner casing surrounding the draft-pipe and spaced theretron, a division wall interposed between the casing and d aft pipe at a point below the discharge end of the pipe and between the opposite encs of the casing, an outer casing spaced from the inner casing,

the walls of the latter being provided with air circulating openings at points above and. below the the plane I i the division wall, and within the limits oi: the terminals of the outer casing.

3. ln, conibiinition with a lantern body, a draft-pipe lea di 11g therefrom, an inner casing;- snrroninlinp; the d 'a'ft pipe and spaced therei'roni, a illYlSlUll vall interposed bepled to said ring and likewise spaced from the walls of the inner rasing and extendinn upward to a point below the plane ot the discharge of the inner casing, and means for supporting the draft-pipe. 7

. ln cmubination with a lantern-body, a dr: l t-pipe lea ling tl cre'lroin, an inner casing surrounding the draft-pipe and spaced thereit'roin, a division wall interpised between the casing and draft-pipe and sup porting tl e latter at a point below the dis charge end of the pipe, the casing walls extending;- on opposite sides ol? the division wall, and being provided with air circulatinp openings above and below said. division wall, a ring; secured to the inner a sine; and spaced from the walls thorcoi', an outer ca in coupled to said ring and spaced from the walls of the inner casing, and terminating at one end below the plane of the dis charge end of the inner casing, the discharge end of the latter casing; and the adjacent end of the outer casing being; pro- ;d with outwardly delloced annular lips or flanges, and a hood secured to the enter casing Hall. and snrniounting and spaced from the lips aforesaid.

in a lantern, an outer air circulating cylindrical casing, an hi or Cfil'l'QSPOllClllii}; casing); spaced therefrom and provided with alit-circulating openings, at draft-pipe spaced from the inner casing, a rotatable dainpcr disposed along; the inner surface of the walls of the inner casing, for controlling the openings in the :asing wall, means for actuating the damper from a point outside the inner lasing, means for permitting removal oi the outer casing); during the manipulation of the damper, and means on the inner casing); for holding; the damper in its adjusted position.

5). in combination with a hnitorn body, an inner :asinq hinged thereto and provided with a bottom flange, a perforated shield resting on said flange, an outer casing; interposed between the shield and innercasing and spaced from the latter, the walls of the inner casing being perforated at points In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, between the ends of the outer casing, the in presence of two witnesses.

latter bein o en at each end to allow air w a A l to circulat e through the shield and from ADOLL H PRAHM' either end of the space between the casings, Witnesses:

and into the openings in the walls of the in- EMIL STAREK,

ner casing. FANNIE E. 13131511.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C. 

